Housing for a telephone unit

Claim 2

A housing for a telephone unit, comprising: a bottom casing; a housing base positioned on and fastened to the bottom casing, said housing base comprising a length cut from a metal extrusion and including a bottom web having parallel front and rear edges, front and rear webs extending laterally along and upwardly from said front and rear edges to define a trough shaped member; a housing top of planar form, comprising a length cut from a metal extrusion, and including front and rear edges; means slidably and pivotally mounting said housing top at its front edge on a top edge of said front web of said housing base, said means comprising an arcuate groove on one of said front edges of said housing top and said top edge of said front web and a cooperative arcuate web on the other of said front edge and top edge, the locus of said arcuate groove disposed outwardly from said groove relative to said bottom web of said housing base, and cooperative formations on said rear edge of the housing top and a top edge of said rear end of the housing base, said housing base and housing top forming an enclosure open at both ends; means for mounting circuit members on said housing base and on said housing top; a top casing positioned over said housing top and said housing base, and cooperating with said bottom casing to form a closed enclosure around said housing top and base; apertures in said top casing for the reception of circuit members; the whole so adapted and arranged that on removal of said top casing, said housing top is pivotally movable upward about the front edge of the housing top for access to said circuit members without disconnection of said circuit members or cessation of service by said telephone unit.

Claim 3

A housing as claimed in claim 1, including ribs extending laterally on an inner surface of said housing base, and a groove extending laterally in each web.

Claim 4

A housing as claimed in claim 1, said top edge of said rear web of said housing base including a channel formation extending laterally of the housing base, said rear edge of said housing top including a rib extending laterally and adapted to fit in said channel formation.

Claim 5

A housing for an automatic branch exchange telephone unit comprising: a bottom casing; a housing base positioned on and fastened to the bottom casing, said housing base comprising a length cut from a metal extrusion and including a bottom web having parallel front and rear edges, front and rear webs extending laterally along and upwardly from said front and rear edges to define a trough shaped member, said bottom web including means for mounting circuit members thereon; a housing top of planar form, comprising a length cut from a metal extrusion, and including front and rear edges; means slidably and pivotally mounting said housing top at its front edge on a top edge of said front web of said housing base, said means comprising an arcuate groove on one of said front edges of said housing top and said top edge of said front web and a cooperative arcuate web on the other of said front edge and said top edge, the locus of said arcuate groove disposed outwardly from said groove relative to said bottom web of said housing baSe, and cooperative formations on said rear edge of the housing top and a top edge of said rear end of the housing base, said housing base and housing top forming an enclosure open at both ends; circuit members mounted on said housing base; a plurality of push-buttons and indicators mounted on said housing; a top casing positioned over said housing top and said housing base, and cooperating with said bottom casing to form a closed enclosure around said housing top and base; apertures in said top casing for the reception of said push-buttons and indicators; the whole so adapted and arranged that on removal of said top casing, said housing top is pivotally movable upward about the front edge of the housing top for access to said circuit members without disconnection of said circuit members or cessation of service by said telephone unit.

Claim 6

A housing for an automatic branch exchange telephone unit comprising: a bottom casing; a housing base positioned on and fastened to the bottom casing, said housing base comprising a length cut from a metal extrusion and including a bottom web having parallel front and rear edges, front and rear webs extending laterally along and upwardly from said front and rear edges to define a trough shaped member, said bottom web including means for mounting circuit members thereon; a housing top of planar form, comprising a length cut from a metal extrusion, and including front and rear edges; means slidably and pivotally mounting said housing top at its front edge on a top edge of said front web of said housing base, said means comprising an arcuate groove on one of said front edges of said housing top and said top edge of said front web and a cooperative arcuate web on the other of said front edge and said top edge, the locus of said arcuate groove disposed outwardly from said groove relative to said bottom web of said housing baSe, and cooperative formations on said rear edge of the housing top and a top edge of said rear end of the housing base, said housing base and housing top forming an enclosure open at both ends; circuit members mounted on said housing base; a plurality of push-buttons and indicators mounted on said housing; a top casing positioned over said housing top and said housing base, and cooperating with said bottom casing to form a closed enclosure around said housing top and base; apertures in said top casing for the reception of said push-buttons and indicators; the whole so adapted and arranged that on removal of said top casing, said housing top is pivotally movable upward about the front edge of the housing top for access to said circuit members without disconnection of said circuit members or cessation of service by said telephone unit.

Claim 7

A housing as claimed in claim 4, including a telephone dial mounted on said housing top and an aperture in said top casing for reception of said dial.

Claim 8

A housing as claimed in claim 4, including circuit members mounted on an under surface of said housing top, said plurality of pushbuttons and indicators mounted on a top surface of said housing top; and a face plate on said top casing, said push-buttons and indicators protruding through apertures in said face plate.